Rewind and Replay
by patrioticmerc
Summary: A continuation alter fic. Primarily based off of Ranma and Akane start their lives over at some point during the Ranma continuum. Using the manga primarily, though not exclusively. Not your typical rewrite and trying to keep characters the way they are.


_Rewind and Replay_

A steady swaying lulled Ranma as he came back to consciousness. It was trying to sink him back into a more restful sleep, but he refused to give in. A dull pain on the back of Ranma's head let him know he was alive, whatever that meant. Because of its effects, he felt somewhat groggy and disoriented. Shaking his head to feebly dispel the cobwebs, he took a look at his surroundings.

Holding him was his father in panda form. The Tendo dojo's front gate was closed behind them. He was thrown over his father's shoulder like a bag of rice. His...or rather, her, he noticed, because of the curse being activated, hands were dangling down below. Raising one up, he gently probed the tender spot to determine the extent of the damage to his skull.

Satisfied that he wasn't concussed nor had a fracture, he turned his attention to where his father was going. By now, they had entered the house proper and Genma was lumbering through the main hallway. There was a commotion ahead. For some reason, it sounded vaguely familiar.

Lifting Ranma off of his shoulder, Genma placed the boy-turned-girl facing the assembly.

Soun Tendo and family were arrayed before him. Soun, Nabiki peeking out from behind him, Kasumi, and Akane. All but one showed both fear and shock. Curiously, Akane didn't appear to have any expression, as if the scene before them was not surprising.

Nabiki was saying something shrilly to her father.

"So, these are friends of yours, Daddy?"

Soun shook his head vigorously from side to side, denying any involvement with a panda and a girl showing up in his home uninvited.

Ranma thought to himself as their conversation went on, 'What's with them? They're acting as if they don't even know me.' Looking back at his father for some sort of clue, he turned back to the group.

Soun stepped forward, asking, "You wouldn't be...?" Suddenly, Ranma looked sharply at Soun and Nabiki, finally understanding what was going on.

"Ranma Saotome," was his curt answer. He wasn't embarrassed about them showing up in cursed form this time. There were to be no excuses or apologies. Soun beamed with joy.

"At last, you're here," the older man said.

Nabiki, standing next to her father, relaxed and quipped, "He is cute!"

"I'm so glad you're here," Soun blubbered. For a moment, Ranma was panicked because he had nowhere to dodge. Before Ranma could find a route to dodge away from the expected glomp, he was engulfed in Soun's arms. 'This blow to the head must have really affected my reactions or just this weird situation,' he thought to himself.

Soun realized he was holding a young woman in his arms.

"You're...You're a...," the Tendo patriarch, a solid stone pillar of the family, who could weather anything that came his way, said.

Nabiki stepped forward to inspect Ranma's chest. She was about to poke the bulging shirt, but Ranma caught her by the wrist with his index finger and thumb. "Yes, they're boobs," Ranma said through clenched teeth. Nabiki leaned her weight forward and continued to try to poke one still, but Ranma's grip was firm and wouldn't let her finger advance one iota. Perturbed, Nabiki stepped back.

Turning, she looked at her father accusingly. "You said Ranma was a boy. 'He' is a girl!"

"A...a girl?" As he remembered it, Soun collapsed in front of everybody at the news. Ranma suppressed a snicker, trying to act shocked by covering his mouth. He was shoved aside as Genma stepped forward and picked Soun up. Kasumi and Nabiki, alarmed, were about to protest the action, but subsided when he stepped forward. They melted back from Genma, allowing him passage into the family room where he lay Soun down in a more comfortable position.

Kasumi went deeper into the house and returned momentarily with a cool, damp cloth and laid it on Soun's forehead. Ranma, in the meantime, had stood back from the bustle and watched the scene. He noted Akane look up from beside Soun. Was that a smile? Curious, he sat down next to her, giving her a sidelong look. Something seemed odd, he decided and he wanted to play things out similar to what had happened before. Wracking his brain, he tried to remember what everyone's initial actions had been when he and his father had arrived the first day.

As Kasumi said, "Oh, poor Father. He must be so disappointed," more memories of what had happened began to click for him.

"He's disappointed," Nabiki said heatedly. Turning to face her, he realized that she was in a kimono. This raised his hackles a bit. If she had just been told before he arrived that she was to be engaged to a stranger, why was she dressed formally? What, exactly, had she been expecting at the omiai? "He's not the only one!" Nabiki turned from Kasumi to face Ranma. "Look at her! Some fiancée." Perhaps this was what had soured her attitude towards him, their first meeting causing her to dislike him and deciding to use him as a means for money.

But, then he remembered that prior to him coming, Nabiki had gone on dates with boys and used them to buy her gifts. It was usual for her to drain a guy of their money during one of those dates. Did she think he had money when he was first coming to the dojo? He snorted in amusement.

It didn't take long for Soun to recover from his swoon as the two eldest girls argued. As soon as he started showing signs of consciousness, everyone turned towards him. "Look, everyone," Kasumi said to emphasize the point. "Father's coming to."

Nabiki returned her attention to her father, glaring at him. "This is all your fault, Daddy! Don't you know the difference between a boy and a girl?"

Feebly, Soun answered, "I assumed my friend Genma's son was a boy."

She tried grabbing at Ranma's breast again, but Ranma was not allowing that to happen any time soon. Using the same move, he grabbed her and prevented any form of poking of his body parts. Simply put, it was both embarrassing and it hurt a bit. Flustered, Nabiki pulled her hand back. She rubbed at her sore wrist absently.

Akane, looking annoyed at Nabiki's treatment of Ranma, leaned forward. "Why don't you leave her alone? A guest should be treated as such," she growled. It appeared to Ranma that Akane seemed to pause minutely when she had used Ranma's current gender.

Things seemed to be getting weirder and weirder. He continued to watch her surreptitiously.

As he expected, Akane turned to him, asking, "Hey, you want to go practice?"

Ranma made himself look as if he were thinking about it. Looking up at her, into her eyes, he nodded his assent.

"I'm Akane. You want to be friends?" Her smile was friendly. As far as he could tell, it was genuine.

Ranma felt as if something had pierced his heart. These had been words given to a total stranger the first day he had arrived and they were offered once again. It would not take long for things to change if Akane wasn't back with him, he predicted. Soon after entering the Tendo home, he and Akane had been at each other's throats. Something, as if at the edge of his vision or on the tip of his tongue, was there, as if he remembered but couldn't remember. What had set them off initially?

Knowing he would finally figure it out, he smiled and stood up. He followed Akane out of the family room and around towards the dojo. He clearly remembered that he had simply dodged Akane during their very first bout, since that was his usual tactic when sparring with her. They had laughed afterwards that first time.

As they were about to step into the dojo, Akane opened the door to the dojo and turned towards him, asking, "You practice Kempo, right?" Either she remembered the first day by writ, or she was not an Akane from the future. As she continued to use lines from their first encounter, his heart sank just that much more.

"A little," he replied. That was only one of many styles he used. It was one of Akane's preferred martial arts styles, he knew. She excelled at it, but because her father had only taught her so much, she had been forced to practice what little of the Tendo Anything Goes Martial Arts that she had been taught.

Stepping into the dojo, he looked around. The walls were in good condition, compared to how he remembered them. There were surprisingly very few patches where newer wood showed. Surely not as many as would be there even after a few months of him living in the Tendo residence.

"Well, why don't we have a little match," Akane offered. She was bouncing on her toes a little. Not much, mind, but to a careful observer of body language like he was, he saw that her posture was one of eagerness.

Smirking, he glided into a position opposite her. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you," Akane stated.

At some unseen signal, they began their match.

Though he flowed smoothly, Ranma found that the body he was now residing in was truly that of his sixteen-year-old body. It had not been through the conditioning from Cologne, Happosai, Ryoga, and other numerous opponents. His reflexes were below par, as far as he was concerned. This frustrated him to no end. All of that work! All of the pain, sweat, and tears for nothing! Couldn't he have at least been given his abilities back?

Blocking his angry thoughts, he focused on what was before him. Akane was swinging at him, attempting to get a hit in somewhere. She was finding that it was like fighting the wind. She knew he was in reach, but she still couldn't seem to touch him.

He began leading her in a dizzying dance across the dojo, refraining from leaping about. He avoided the wall, since she had tried to punch at him during their first bout. Paying careful attention to her style, he led her around the dojo, assessing her abilities.

She was using her normal moves. They were powerful strikes, precise and would have felled most martial artists. She had never been too keen on improving her speed to match his, though she insisted on their sparring matches.

Abruptly, Akane stopped, looking tired and slightly dizzy. Ranma stopped a meter away. Without looking at him but rather at a spot on the floor, she growled, "Damn it, Ranma, can't you for once in your miserable life, take me seriously? I'm tired of you always dodging me."

Though anger was a normal emotion for her, this instance of it bothered him for some reason. If this were the unaware Akane, then she wouldn't know the way he usually sparred with the Akane he knew. Taking a tentative step forward, he bent down and peered up into Akane's face. Tears glimmered in here eyes. They were tears born of frustration and hurt. She clenched her eyes shut and turned away. One large tear fell from her chin and plopped onto the dojo floor to glisten wetly near her feet.

"Akane," he queried, "is it...Is it really you?" Could the little telltale signs really have meant that the Akane he knew from their future was with him in the past? Somehow, she had figured out that he was from their future, also. Probably because he hadn't played to the script of the past as well as she had so far.

Her voice softened a little and she relaxed her posture as she replied, "Yes, Ranma, it's me." She turned to face him. "I don't know how or why, but we're both back to the day we first met. I still don't remember how we got here. My day started when I got up this morning. Like I always do, I went for a run and then came home to practice. I realized what was going on when I felt my long hair after I woke up and when Daddy came to get me for our family meeting. Instead of Nabiki finding me in the dojo, I was in my room looking at my room, trying to get a bearing on what was going on. At first, I thought it was some joke, but after I looked at the calendar, I realized it wasn't."

Ranma nodded his understanding. "Yeah, um...My day started with me wakin' up from getting brained by Pops. It only really came to me when your dad was askin' who I was."

Akane nodded in understanding. "What are we going to do?"

Looking out the dojo door, Ranma shrugged. "As far as I figure it, we're about to be engaged. Again." He was curious as to his initial emotion about what he said. Was it anticipation? He didn't feel anxious about what was to happen. In fact, he was rather looking forward to it.

"Yes, I remember." Her eyes followed his gaze back to the house. "In a little while, you will be going to the furo to get cleaned up. And then I walked in on you, thinking you were a girl at the time."

Ranma looked back at her. Her tone was unreadable. Looking at her face, though, he could see the hint of a smile. 'And she calls me the pervert,' he thought. "Yeah, well, now that you know it's me this time around and I'm cursed, we can avoid stuff like that."

They shared a knowing smile. Feeling a bit of their usual embarrassment when sharing emotions, they looked away. The silence between them lengthened.

Thoughts of their situation flitted through their minds. After a time, Akane broke the silence with, "Ranma, are you...Are you willing to go along with the engagement?"

Ranma pursed his lips in thought, looking sidelong at Akane. If they had a 'second chance', then a lot of the mistakes from before could be avoided. Right? Now that they were at the beginning of their relationship, so to speak, he wasn't engaged to either Shampoo or Ukyo. They would be showing up eventually, true, but that would give them time to build their relationship without interference. "I, er, don't mind if you don't. I was engaged to Nabiki once and that was like a bad dream come true. And being engaged to Kasumi? I dunno. It's like me dating my mother and I can't really get past that." He deliberately avoided mentioning his other paramours.

Akane chuckled. "After they found out about the curse, they were really freaked out by it," she remembered. Walking to the door, she called back, "Come on, Ranma. I want to get cleaned up, too. Go get your bath so that I can get mine."

Nodding, Ranma followed her out of the dojo and sought out Kasumi after rummaging through his pack, which was still lying in the entrance, and got out a clean set of clothes. When he found her, she held set of bathing items in her arms, as if in anticipation of his desire. Taking them, he smiled up at Kasumi. "Thanks."

Kasumi was about to give him directions to the furo, but he was already walking off in the right direction. She said nothing, but looked puzzled for a moment before going about her duties.

He stepped into the changing room and undressed. Stretching a bit, he worked the kinks out of his body, moving into the furo room proper. Having been accustomed to his female body for so long, he paid no mind to the cold water and how it felt to his body. With a contented sigh, he sank into the furo to soak.

Eyes closed and relaxed, he began picking at what was bothering him.

Both himself and Akane were in the past, or so it seemed. If it had been, then someone would have given up the jig somehow. Kasumi, probably. She wasn't prone to such acts. It was a fact that they were repeating everything from the first day they had met. The only differences thus far were some of their reactions and what their memories had provided.

It was odd that Akane had started her day out by waking up in her bed that morning and he only coming to over Genma's shoulder. Instead of being embarrassed by both his and his father's arrival, he had noticed some key details about the Tendos. Nabiki, for instance, had seemed eager to be attending an omiai. The kimono was a giveaway. After having found out about his curse the first time, she had literally jumped at the chance to push him off to Akane. Maybe that was one of the reasons why she treated him so bad.

What also bothered him was how he and Akane would deal with the engagement, now that they had pre-existing knowledge of each other. Maybe he could get her to stop calling him a pervert? He could also try to be nicer. He had promised himself to do so when they were walking away from Ryugenzawa hand-in-hand. Would Akane refrain from her usual anger at him because of their first meeting? She had been so nice and friendly when she had thought of him as a girl the first time, then had turned belligerent thereafter.

He gulped at the next train of thought.

Maybe they should just sit down and talk? He had no desire to be engaged with either Nabiki or Kasumi. Would Akane be willing to take on the engagement without having been shoved off onto him? Thinking of not being engaged to Akane left him with a strange feeling. She had professed that she didn't want to be engaged on numerous occasions in the past, but she really hadn't broken the engagement.

Besides the one time and he ended up engaged to Nabiki for a time. He still shuddered uncontrollably at the memory.

Well, they had broken up more than the one time, to be sure, but their break-ups had never lasted long, he amended. More often than not, she had just said that she wanted nothing to do with him.

Sighing, he shook his head and stood up. Time was getting short. There was to be another family meeting soon. He was getting anxious about the whole lot and was starting to go around in circles. Drying himself off, he entered the changing room and put on his clean set of clothes. Stepping out, he found Akane leaning against the wall next to the door.

He smiled at her. "No surprises this time, eh?"

Akane matched his smile. "Everybody else is in for a surprise, though," was her reply. "I'll be out in a moment." She slipped past him into the changing room and closed the door behind her.

No, no surprises this time. After Akane had run screaming into the family room, she had sought out the table to pound 'the pervert in the bathroom'. She hadn't had a chance to get cleaned up before the explanation had started. This time she would. With her taking a bath, it put the family meeting a little further into the day. Nothing untoward, really, would happen, he figured. But it wouldn't be too imprudent to check how things were going elsewhere.

Creeping down the hall, he peered around the corner into the family room. Sitting on the engawa, both Soun and his father were facing each other, looking as if they had been in a deep discussion. Kasumi entered from another doorway and placed a tea set down next to them, serving the two men. From his angle, he couldn't tell if Nabiki was in the room or not.

Stealthily, Ranma made his way around and through the house to the kitchen without being seen. Kasumi had entered before he did. Lifting the noren, he cleared his throat so as not to unduly startle Kasumi.

In a polite tone, he said, "Excuse me, Kasumi. Could I get a kettle of warm water, not boiling, and a couple glasses of cold water?" He clearly remembered Genma being scalded the first time Soun had changed him from panda to human. It still made him chuckle at his father's discomfort.

Kasumi turned to see the male Ranma. He was wearing the same style of clothes as his female side had and was taller. She was confused about how the panda had disappeared and a man was now in their house. What about the girl? Was she still in the bath? And where did this boy come from, who was wearing the same style of clothing as the girl?

Could there be a connection?

"Why, yes, I can do that for you..." She looked at him expectantly.

Noticing that she was prompting him for his name, Ranma said, "I'm, er, Ranma Saotome. I need the water for a bit of a demonstration."

Kasumi nodded, even more perplexed. Putting her puzzled thoughts aside, she did as she had been asked. By the way Ranma was talking he would be doing some explaining to the family of what was happening.

Once again, Ranma made his way through the house without being noticed and stood near the changing room. Akane would soon be finishing her bath. Setting his back to the wall and sliding down until he was sitting, he waited.

After ten minutes of waiting, he was beginning to get impatient. What was taking her so long? She usually didn't languish in the furo this long. Besides, they had business to take care of.

Just as he was standing up to knock on the door to find out what the holdup was, the door opened. He froze, hand raised, ready to knock. Akane looked up at him. She looked as if she were preoccupied as her eyes followed his arm to his side. Without changing expression, she said, "Why don't you let me go in first? I think it's better if we do it that way. When you come in, you can introduce yourself."

"I already talked to Kasumi. I asked her to get some warm and cold water. If Pops wants to try throwing me, he's going to get a nasty surprise." Stepping out of the way, he allowed her to proceed to the family room.

When she got there, Nabiki was sitting at the table, reading. She was wearing a tank-top and shorts, having changed out of the kimono from earlier. Kasumi was just setting down the items she has been asked to bring. She also had tea cups for four people. Akane, seeing that Genma and her father were already served, assumed they were for the three Tendo girls and Ranma.

Taking a seat at the table next to Nabiki, she pulled her cup of tea and looked into it. She kept an eye on the entrance she had entered from.

Meanwhile, Ranma was slowly counting to himself. He wanted Akane to get settled first. It wouldn't seem appropriate if he followed her in too closely. It wouldn't work for their plans to be blown away if the sisters, Soun, and his father realized that Akane knew him. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling that their lives would be more difficult if anyone suspected them of anything.

Ruefully, he thought, 'It wouldn't be the first time I was accused of something. This time, I am guilty. And Akane's in on it this time, too.'

Deciding that enough time had passed, he made his way to the family room.

By this time, Akane was growing impatient with him just as he had only moments before. She started to let a sigh out just as he entered her sight, but checked herself. Turning away from him, she looked out of the open doors into the back yard, past her father and Genma.

This allowed Kasumi to be the one to notice him first. As if she were used to him, she said, "Oh, there you are, Ranma." As she said this, everyone's head swiveled to look at him. She continued as Nabiki jerked back in shock to find a new stranger. "I have the water you requested."

Ranma smiled at her, again saying, "Thanks."

Before he could enter any further or say anything else, he was accosted by Nabiki. "Ranma? Isn't Ranma that busty little girl that was here earlier?" Noticing his attire, she continued before he could answer. "And what's with the clothes? She was wearing the same thing earlier."

Holding up his hands in a placating manner, he tried waving off Nabiki's questions.

She wasn't finished, however. Turning her head, she looked at Genma. "Besides which, who are you and where did that panda go?"

Before Ranma could say anything, his father spoke up. "Just recently we returned from our travels in China. It was in the mountains of the Bayankala region that we met with tragedy, for we went to the legendary accursed springs of Jusenkyo. Its true horror was shrouded in mystery. But now..."

While Genma was talking, Ranma had walked over to the table and stood beside his father. Swiftly, he grabbed his father by the gi and, using a judo throw, tossed Genma into the koi pond.

"...One fat martial artists turns into an even fatter panda," he finished.

Genma came up sputtering. Any words he was trying to say came out in growls and barks. Keeping an eye on his father, Ranma continued with the story. "It was for the sake of the Art that we went to Jusenkyo. But Pops, in his infinite wisdom, took us there."

His father, maddened by his sons actions, attacked Ranma. His intended victim dodged out of the way, landing an elbow into Genma's gut. Genma's eyes bulged at the blow, only to be shut by Ranma's following elbow strike to the back of his head. With a disdainful sniff, Ranma walked over to the table and picked up one of the glasses and the kettle. He took them to the engawa.

"Now cold water turns him into a panda and warm water turns him back." Tipping the kettle, he changed his father back into a human. "For me," he went on, "cold water turns me into a girl." Upending the glass of water over himself, he changed into the buxom girl they had met before. "And warm water changes me back." He used the kettle on himself.

Genma recovered from his little nap, standing up beside Ranma. He felt his teeth with his tongue to see if any had loosened by his jaw meeting the floor. Satisfied that there was no damage, he tried grabbing for Ranma.

A battle ensued.

It ended abruptly when Ranma, gaining an advantage, tossed Genma back into the pond. He still held the kettle in his hand, not having spilled a drop.

Ranma could see that the story had shocked both Nabiki and Kasumi. Akane was doing her best to act as surprised.

"Oh, the tragedy," Soun lamented. Ranma cast a disdainful look at the Tendo patriarch, but refrained from saying anything about it.

Kasumi rounded on Genma accusingly. "How could you, Mr. Saotome? That's just going too far."

Nabiki also turned on Genma, but for another reason. She could see people doing strange things for money. But to put yourself in danger for something as tenuous as martial arts? "Yeah," she added hotly, "even for Martial Arts training!"

Looking down and covering her face, Akane tried her best not to laugh at the entire scene.

Both Nabiki and Kasumi accosted Genma with their fists, who backed away from their assault, though they did not harm him. The travel guide fell out of his gi. Nabiki picked it up and thumbed through several pages. Noticing some of the kanji, she said, "Something about training grounds." Kasumi looked to the kanji she was pointing at, and then they both looked back at Genma. "Let me guess, you don't know any Chinese."

Amazingly, Genma pulled a party favor out and popped it open, which a piece of paper with 'Correct' written on it fell out. Ranma still missed where his father had pulled it from, even though he was watching for it. Deciding that his father was suffering enough for the moment, he dumped the remaining water from the kettle onto the older man before it was too cold to change him back.

Kasumi and Nabiki returned to their seats now that their just anger had been satisfied.

Soun picked up from Ranma had left off. "So, when doused with warm water, my old friend changes back to human form. When struck by cold water, Ranma changes to a girl. And Ranma changes from girl to boy with warm water as well." Both Ranma and Akane rolled their eyes as they knew what was about to happen next. "My daughters: Kasumi, nineteen; Nabiki, seventeen; and Akane, sixteen. Pick the one you want. She's your fiancée."

If Kasumi or Nabiki had moved any slower than he remembered, Ranma would have thought they had considered being engaged to him. True to form, though, they backed Akane's claim fully.

"Oh, he wants Akane," Kasumi offered.

"Definitely," Nabiki said.

They didn't have to say it, but their actions were shouting that they had no desire to deal with him. They could have been crying out 'freak', and it couldn't have been clearer.

Playing the act, Akane yelled, "Why am I the one he would want?" She couldn't just accept the engagement at their suggestion. Doing so would have seemed odd for her.

As expected, her sisters used lines she remembered.

"Well, you hate boys, don't you?" was Nabiki's answer to the question.

In a supportive manner, Kasumi said, "Well, you're in luck. Ranma's half girl." Ranma restrained himself from turning angrily at Kasumi's comment.

Akane winced. What did they think of her to say such things? She didn't hate boys, really. It was a litany she had used because the ones she dealt with were hormone-crazed and thought she was only a prize to be lauded over. And she surely wasn't into girls. Did her sisters think that she was?

"Besides," Kasumi continued, "you two are martial artists. Who better to inherit the dojo?"

Ranma did his part as well. Turning on his father, he growled, "I ain't got time for fiancés. Getting rid of this curse is the first thing I need to do. Besides, I'm only sixteen."

Now that they had a candidate for Ranma to marry, both Genma and Soun took the bit in their teeth, so to speak, and went forward with their plans.

With an officious manner, Genma said to Ranma, "This is a matter of honor, boy. It was decided before all of you were born that our two families were to be joined. We're here to stay. And that's final.

"What do you know about honor," was Ranma's jibe. "You run at the slightest bit of trouble."

For his part, Genma stood firm on the subject. In a softer, yet still firm voice, as if he were cajoling Ranma, he said, "We're staying, Ranma. No matter what happens, you will be marrying a Tendo."

Ranma couldn't find any more protestations to fling at his father. Turning on his heel, he crossed his arms and stood stiffly. Genma, knowing Ranma and his ways, was satisfied with the display to know no more talking was necessary.

Soun, in turn was trying to convince a recalcitrant Akane. "Now, Akane, dear, Genma and I wanted to join the two schools into one. This way, with the two of you being the martial artists of each family, our legacies will be ensured. The two of you will carry on the dojo. In time, perhaps, you two can feel more than the duty set before you and enjoy a long, happy life together. You two, whether you know it or not now, have much in common."

Restraining herself from using her old objections, Akane returned with, "I have enough problems with boys that I don't need to be engaged to one right now."

"Be that as it may," Soun returned, "Ranma is to be engaged to one of you girls. As your sisters have pointed out, you are the most logical choice for the engagement."

With a huff, Akane turned her head as if sulking, but not before giving each of her sisters a glare. It was convincing enough for her family that they stopped pressing the issue. Though it appeared that she was against the engagement, they saw that she understood and would accept the matter as giri. Being a martial artist, it was one of the tenets of her life.

Soun and Genma looked at each other, satisfied grins pasted onto their faces.

"Now that that's settled," Soun began once it was apparent the two teenagers were not going to be any more problems.

But, before he could continue, Akane interrupted. "I'll accept the engagement on two conditions. When Ranma and I went out to the dojo to spar, he never attempted to go on the offensive. I don't know what that means, really, but from what I feel, he doesn't think girls are good martial artists." Ranma cringed at the accusation and observation. "First, he must accept me a martial artist and be willing to teach me what he knows of the Saotome style and anything he picked up in his travels." Here, Akane's grin turned feral. "Second, he must accept me teaching him the Tendo style as well."

Before Ranma could voice a protest, Genma spoke up for him. "Agreed." He wasn't about to let anything, especially something as trivial as the two teaching each other, get in the way. And everybody knew that a student-teacher relationship often budded into romance. What a perfect combination!?!

Ranma leveled a glare at Akane, who returned with one of her own. There was no way now that Ranma could squirm out of actually sparring with her. Their earlier bout had prompted the idea. This is what had taken her so long to exit the furo, thinking up a way to entrap Ranma. With Genma's blessing, or even help, she would get to be on par with the rest of her fiancée's former rivals and paramours.

"Fine," Akane said in a lighter tone. "I'll be up in my room if anyone needs me." Standing up, she left the family room and went upstairs.

Ranma lay on his futon, dissecting everything from that day down to the minutest detail.

His physical abilities were back to where he had been when first arriving at the dojo. It wouldn't take too long to get back to what he had been. There had to be some way to get his speed up. Doing the Hiryu Shoten Ha might be feasible...It was more of a mental exercise than anything. Also, the ki blasts wouldn't be too hard to manifest, either. When he got a chance, he would have to find an empty lot or go training in the mountains to test his abilities further. Doing them in Nerima or within sight of Genma would be too hazardous. It would raise too many questions that he hadn't thought up good excuses for. His father knew all of the training he had undergone throughout his life. It would be difficult to explain it away as something he had picked up somewhere in passing.

Now that Akane had trapped him into sparring with him, he had not choice but to do so. His father would book no arguments. Though before he had ignored Akane, she had used the engagement as opportunity to her benefit. He had fought her before, but had always refrained from actually harming her. The super-soba noodles and the enchanted dogi are what stood out most in his mind.

Thoughts of the dogi prompted his thoughts to analyze what its properties were. Hadn't his father stated that the wearer was shown what their true potential was? If that were true, then Akane would or could be a very good martial artist. She had creamed him at the start, but he had been holding back for fear of injuring her. In addition to this, he had also held back his best techniques on her when he was trying to touch the belt, which would defeat the dogi.

If he could train her to that level and add the techniques he had in his arsenal, she would be formidable. It would be hard work and Akane would have to sacrifice a lot of her free time to training. Most of his own free time was spent working out. This brought a silly grin to his face. Wouldn't Shampoo and Ukyo be surprised? Though they had no knowledge of them at the moment, there would be no doubt that Akane had claim to him.

The last line of thought sobered him quickly.

Why were they considering the engagement as if they were to be married? Their actions between each other had been...amiable. It seemed as if Akane was only giving a token resistance to the engagement. They had planned how to deal with their parents rather than fighting against the inevitable. And, frankly, he found that he had much the same feelings about it all.

Yes, he decided, they would definitely have to find some time to discuss their predicament. If only the two of them had come back to live in the past, then there had to be a very important reason for this.

His thoughts finally turned to what was truly bothering him. He still couldn't remember what had happened to cause their return to the past. Vague memories of a mountain and someone flying above him floated about his mind. Nothing else would come forth, however.

After rolling around for some time, he finally was able to put aside his thoughts and allowed himself to relax. The next day was sure to be a full one.

As he slept, his dreams were of both himself and Akane. There were several misadventures throughout, highlighting their tumultuous courtship. Some, he even smiled at.

But, further into the night, his dreams started taking on a darker tone. As his latest dream went along, he felt a longing or perhaps a loss.

With suddenness, everything came to him with clarity as if he had been at the spot at that moment.

A whirlwind surrounded him. The heady rush of battle sang through his veins. His heart set the beat, his blood singing the old hymns of yore. Ranma could feel about himself with his entire being. His unseen opponent was above. His legs coiled below him, propelling him forward to his enemy. He could see flashes of the man above him.

Feathers on a wing.

A clawed foot.

Was it truly a man? Ranma could not tell.

Desperation and rage filled him now, as he rose higher. There was a purpose. Someone he needed to save was dying. That was all he could tell. The one above was standing in his way of helping. And they would pay.

Dearly, oh-so-dearly, would they pay for causing him this pain and fear.

Then he was higher.

Did he blink?

No, he had skipped ahead. The bird-man was now broken. Dead.

It was the price demanded. Feeling the stain on his soul, Ranma fought to cling to his innocence. But it was never to be found again, a virgin no more to the ways of mortal combat and all that it entailed. At this time, though, he had to push his own misery aside. Someone needed him.

A swirl of mist swept by, obscuring his vision momentarily.

He found himself at the foot of a mountain, the face of a cliff rising high above him. It was a behemoth, casting a dark shadow over him, attempting to dominate his will. A small waterfall tumbled down the cliff face into a pond nearby. Scraggly brush grew here and there, the only thing able to get a hold in the cracks of the rocks. The area around the pond was barren, rocky crags jutting all about. It was relatively flat where he sat. A stone dragon rose out from the cliff face, ignoring him and his plight.

Day was turning into dusk, as the shadows were long and the sun was hanging low in the sky.

Something was in his arm.

No, it was someone.

Looking down, he saw the still form of Akane. Her eyes were closed. He could not see through her lashes to see what he needed. This was bad, something told him. Ranma could remember holding her naked form in the whirlwind of his creation. He needed to know that she was still alive.

She would have been naked now but for the shirt wrapped around her form. His tank-top clung to his moist body. He didn't know if it was from the water or from sweat. His skin was clammy. Feeling oddly detached, he could only look down at her face in repose. It was serene. No care in the world could bother her at that moment. Neither was there a smile, a warmth he wished to see and feel. It would be warmer than the falling sun in the west. Her habitual angry scowl would not mar her features. It was this that he had called her uncute for. No more, as there was nothing that would cause her volatile nature to come forth.

Something wet plopped onto her face.

A tear.

Not just any tear. It was his. Its purity captured his attention only momentarily before he again focused on whom he was holding.

His love, his only reason now for fighting and winning was lifeless in his arms.

Rearing his head back, he gave a long, forlorn cry. It reverberated throughout the area. He poured all of himself into his grief. All of the times he had debased her abilities, her vibrant beauty, and pushed her away. There would never be another chance for him to make amends. Every time he had been close to expressing his true feelings, he had shied away. Lied to himself. Lied to her.

All of the lost chances, their failed attempts poured out. He had fought harder than he had ever done before, but it hadn't been enough. He had been too late.

Failure. He was a failure to her because of all he had said. All he had not done for her. She should have been loved like no other, like she deserved.

Jagged cracks spread forth upon the cliff face. First, small stones fell down into the water.

Still, he screamed his anguish to the world.

"Akane!" his very soul cried out. She was lost to him...forever. "If only...If only we could have had another chance." His cry rent the heavens. Those within miles felt his grief. People of all ages clutched a hand to their hearts, feeling what he was feeling.

A sharp sound, much like that heard from a lightning bolt when it strikes nearby, sounded. The ground shook.

From above, a gargantuan piece of the mountain was sliding off. For the second time, he was destroying a mountain. As it fell, it gathered momentum as well as shearing off portions of the cliff face as it tumbled forth. With his head reared back in his tortured scream, he saw. But he did not care.

He felt his broken heart stop long before the mountain came down to meet him.

All was darkness.

Sitting up in a cold sweat, Ranma found he could not breathe at first. Leaning forward, he felt as if he were about to pass out from asphyxiation.

A whimper, so quiet that he thought he may have imagined it, came from another room. Instinct overtook reason.

Springing forth, he rushed out of the guest room. He sucked in ragged gasps of air, finally, as he pushed open Akane's door. The wooden duck clattered in protest.

The street lights struggled for supremacy outside, but it was the moon that won over. The moonlight speared through the window. Its silver light made everything seem ethereal. The color was drained out of everything, making it all black and white to his eyes.

Akane sat in the corner of her bed, much like a frightened child. Her face had a silvery sheen, like that of a ghost. She looked at him, a forlorn waif lost in a turbulent sea. Her eyes sought out his, looking for something, anything to take the fear and despair and pain away. To her eyes, he was a stone statue come to life. The muscles were taut, gleaming and outlined by the shadowy crevices. Her protector and savior was present. Yes, her knight in shining armor, even if it were his own skin that shone as such.

Leaping onto the bed, Ranma gathered her into his arms.

The way he held her was not lost on him. It was the same as in the dream. The memory of the nightmare of a moment ago sucked them down into a pit of despair.

His grief came back to him, swelling his heart, as if ready to burst it out of his chest. They clung to each other, making not a sound. Both of the teenagers shook as if they were back in the whirlwind he had created in their dream. Their arms clutched at each other and would have broken ribs and bruised flesh if it had been anyone else they held but each other.

Ranma held Akane this way for several long and desperate minutes. Their hearts raced, as if frantically battling a foe. Finally, their panic faded as their minds sought a way to hide away their feverish dreams. Somewhere dark and deep in the recesses of their consciousness, they shoved the horrors where only when they were prepared would they confront them.

It was Akane who moved first. Using the sleeve of her pajamas, she wiped at her tear-streaked face. As she did this, Ranma slowly loosened his grip up on her. He was still rocking her in his arms, lost in himself. She looked at his face and administered the same treatment to him as she had herself. Fresh tears took their place.

Consolingly, she said, "Shhh. Hush. It's okay now, Ranma. I'm all right. We're both all right."

She knew what he had dreamed, for she had seen the same as him. Felt the same as he had. The depth of his feeling for her washed over and through her. They felt like the promising kisses of a warm southern wind in the middle of winter. A wind that would envelop her, swirling about and warming her cold skin and promising to forever do so. It was comfortable to be in his arms. The feelings she held for him matched his own.

Ranma's thoughts kept up a litany of, 'I lost her.' The presence of her in his arms kept him from wailing as in the dream, giving voice to his riotous feelings. The fact that she was alive also kept him from doing as he had done in his nightmare. That would surely have woken anyone at a great distance. Perhaps, even, the entire ward.

Softly, Akane stroked his face as a mother with their child, watching it relax under her gentle administrations. She spoke to him reassuringly to him, offering words of comfort. Her body was warm. The thudding drumbeat of her heart could be felt on his chest. The breath of life flowed through her, for he could feel it on his face and neck. It stirred the small hairs, tickling. The warm, wet softness of it was reassuring.

His eyes opened and he pulled back to behold her, gaining focus. Once again, she was in his arms, he noted consciously. This time, though, she was alive and well. Whatever had happened, it didn't matter to him at this moment. She was whole and oh-so-alive!

Not even thinking of what he was doing, he brought her face to his and they kissed. He paused, in uncertainty. Akane closed her eyes, tilting her head back in acceptance. Emboldened by her response, he continued.

Their lips met, electric arcs passing through their bodies. They clutched at each other again, deepening the kiss further. One of Akane's hands grabbed the base of his pigtail, using it to anchor them together.

Oh, the passion, the giving of one's self! So many worries passed away from them. Old insecurities were shredded, their remains finding the deepest corners of the night to hide in, never to return. Their tongues vied for dominance.

For a long time they kissed until they were forced to take large gulps of precious air. They smiled to each other with satisfaction.

It was their first kiss, they absentmindedly realized.

After all this time, they were now at the beginning. And in light of it all, it was at the beginning that they were feeling as one. Could they hold this moment forever in time, to savor evermore?

The moment would not last forever, for it could not. The lovers had not the power to do so. They had to content themselves with what they had just shared. More would come later. Without any further spoken words, they nodded as their eyes locked and their knowledge of more to follow came to them.

Others had seen a fraction of what they felt for each other. Though none, not even themselves, understood the depth of their feelings, or the heights of ecstasy they could elicit. Perhaps it was Ranma's soul scream had somehow pulled them back to give them another chance. Or maybe they had met some kami after dying that had allowed them the second chance that Ranma had cried for. The knowledge was veiled and they found that they did not wish to seek it out.

Ranma and Akane uncoiled themselves from each other. Standing by her bed, Ranma leaned forward and kissed her again. This one did not have the jolt as their first had given them. Nevertheless, it warmed their hearts deeply for it felt comfortable. His hand combed through her hair a few times, coming forward to cup her face. She smiled up at him, leaning into his hand and closing her eyes.

Oddly enough, they felt no embarrassment at what they had shared.

Through the emotional exchange, the entire house had not even stirred. It was a miracle that they wished not to spoil by further dalliance. With a last brush of lips, they parted and Ranma went to the door. He closed it silently behind himself.

As quietly as he could, Ranma entered his room and lay back upon his futon. Almost as if they were mirroring each other, the two lovers brought a hand to their lips in memory of what they had just shared. Both exhausted by their emotional ordeal, they soon drifted off to sleep.

Morning came and found both Ranma and Akane ready for school, if a bit later than they had intended. Unlike his first day at the dojo, Ranma was accustomed to the routine. Yet he was still not fully ready for his daily lessons. He was missing his school bag and supplies.

"Yo, Pops!" he called out, standing in the hall leading to the front door. "What am I supposed to use for school?" His father had supplied him with a bag filled with supplies before, but it had yet to materialize. For some reason, they had forgone their morning bout. Ranma chalked it up to them having had a long journey and finally finding a cozy place to rest. Trust his father to be the lazy one.

Not that he was complaining or anything, though. After last night's episode, he hadn't felt his temper ready to spar just yet.

Genma popped into view, carrying his supplies. The older martial artist didn't even blink at Ranma being ready and willing to attend school. He was just glad the boy wasn't putting up a fuss. If that were the case, maybe he wouldn't have to follow him to school.

After a moment's thought, he decided, he would follow. Ranma could be trying to set him off his guard. He may have seemingly accepted the engagement with little resistance, but one could never tell. Before they had made it to the dojo, they had fought. If he was capitulating this easily, then it was best to watch out for him.

As before, Nabiki had run off before the other two. She said nothing to them about it being Akane's responsibility to show Ranma to school this time. Akane wasn't complaining about it, either. They set out at a light jog. They were a little behind schedule because of the family getting adjusted to having two more in the home. That meant it took a little longer to get ready because of the line for the bathroom to brush teeth, comb hair, and any other necessary morning ablutions.

For his part, Ranma was beside Akane, rather than up on the fence as was his wont. They didn't have time to talk about the night prior and didn't feel quite in the mood to do so anyway.

Looking back carefully, Ranma 'felt' his father shadowing them this time. He caught a glimpse of him. Since they weren't fighting, Genma refrained from showing himself.

They found themselves nearing the gates of Furinkan, earlier than they would have expected because of their rapid pace. A large crowd was milling around several meters beyond the gates. Someone, apparently acting as lookout, pointed the couple out. "Akane," a ringing chorus shouted. They immediately formed battle lines.

Akane slowed in consternation. She had completely forgotten about the morning attacks. Ranma kept going without breaking stride. Noting this, Akane put on a burst of speed to catch up with him. Looking sidelong at him, she noted his expression.

She was gripped by a foreboding. His face was set in a stern mask, eyes narrowed in anger. Looking back at the assembly, Akane began fearing for their well-being despite their intentions.

Ranma felt the crowd's hostile intent directed at the young woman next to him. He lost himself to the feelings of the night before, where he had been fighting the bird-man.

He ignored Akane's, "Ranma, don't hurt them!"

With a snarl, he leapt forward and away from Akane. Meeting the first boy, a hockey player, with a vicious knife strike to the neck. He continued on. The boy crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

He was now a whirlwind inside of the mass of people. Bodies fell before him as he kicked and punched his way through. They hadn't the chance or time to raise a defense against his assault. Faster than Akane had ever dispatched her opponents, he had struck down everyone who had been readying themselves for Akane's arrival.

Akane, for her part, ran to the first victim of Ranma's ire. Checking his pulse, she found that Ranma had used a strike that had shocked the system, but would have no lasting injury besides a small bruise. Gladdened by this, she looked at the others carefully. Everyone was either unconscious or laying about, moaning in pain. Walking through the bodies, she saw that there was nothing drastic. Blood welled from a few noses and mouths, but there were no life-threatening injuries.

Ranma came to rest at the far edge of the crowd. Those that hadn't participated stared at him in shock. Nabiki, up in her classroom to watch Akane's regular bout and make bets, dropped her jaw. She had never seen the like before. Even Akane paled before Ranma's expertise.

Akane's ultimatum from the night before came to mind. She had insisted that Ranma be her sensei. She would teach him the Tendo-ryu, as part of it, but she knew that it had been on the side. Perhaps Akane had received a show of his abilities when the two had sparred. That would explain a thing or two.

His display also showed a bit of his character. He may have known or realized that the morning gathering was tasked to defeat Akane for a date. That would mean that his 'Code' or whatever made him stick up for Akane, since she was 'weaker' than him. There were ways to play that, she knew. Akane was the same way and Nabiki knew how to use that to her advantage. She would have to ponder the possibilities.

Her attention was drawn to the show below, for it was not over.

Tatewaki Kuno had stepped out from behind the tree. His timing was supposed to coincide with Akane's defeat of the boys. Looking up from the rose he was smelling, he cocked his wrist to throw it at the figure close to him. Catching himself before releasing the flower of romance, he scowled at the interloper.

"Tis a fine demonstration." Looking past Ranma, he saw Akane. She was absorbed in the act of checking on the fallen and hadn't noticed his august presence yet. Turning his attention back to regard the interloper, he said, "Yet this skirmish is not for one such as you. Akane, the fierce tigress is to be set upon each morn, so that all who desire it may attempt to date with her. Your interference is most distressing."

Kuno raised the rose to his nose again, closing his eyes as he inhaled its fragrance. Akane, after finding that the majority of the bodies were not permanently damaged, turned her attention to the kendoist. Noting that Akane was finally looking at him, Kuno took his chance to fling the rose at her.

Before it could reach his intended target, it was intercepted. Kuno scowled in displeasure.

Ranma crumpled the rose in one hand. Slowly and methodically. Each snap of its frail stem caused offense beyond endurance. Stepping forward, Kuno shouted, "What kind of ribald brute are you!?! To stop the Arrow of Cupid and then to crush it in your filthy mitts? One such as you should not be suffered for long." Baring his bokken, he advanced towards Ranma.

Finished destroying Kuno's amorous attempt, Ranma dropped into a ready stance. After Kuno had taken three steps, he shot forward.

Even to Akane's experience eye, he blurred.

He stopped just inside of Kuno's guard, his face a mere foot away from the other. Kuno flinched away from the look in his opponent's eyes, for it was not as Ranma had used before when fighting the kendoist in his previous life. That of an excited youth ready for any challenge was now deadly and calculating. Kuno did not know how Ranma had fought with him 'before', as this was his first encounter. 'These orbs are of a seasoned soldier. A veteran of battle! Never have I met such a look, yet I can see it all too clearly,' Kuno cried mentally. He balked in his attack, realizing his mistake much too late. He had waved his wooden sword about, play acting as if he were a warrior. Old ballads of chivalry and righteousness were the soothing medicines for his beleaguered soul. What he faced now was a man who felt that righteousness and lived with chivalry as a mantle.

Having the intent of bodily harm at him to which he could not easily defend against had a stunning effect. He fought with himself to stop the quaking of his limbs. Taking a quick series of steps back, he raised his bokken to the ready, if a bit unsteadily. Ranma did not follow this time, but seemed to gauge his opponent's intent and how, for the first time, fear shown in Kuno's eyes and stance. Oddly enough, this disturbed him a bit, but pushed it aside for the time being.

Ranma knew all of Kuno's moves by now and, oddly enough, what he hadn't learned 'yet'. He had fought him on a regular basis while attending Furinkan. Though he wasn't as mad as he was a moment ago, he was still displeased. Having been careful with the other students, he was willing to do the same for the upperclassman. He was glad that Akane hadn't interrupted him just yet. Humiliating his opponent was his intent at the moment. If Akane were to interfere, then it could skew his objective.

His fiancé, for her part, was watching with concern. After having examined her would-be challengers, she figured that Ranma was in an odd mood. She remembered his face, but his actions had contradicted what she had thought. Seeing Tatewaki's face when Ranma had destroyed the rose had been quite the reward. Normally, she would deride her fiancée. This time, she would let the scene play out, for it was sure to be fascinating.

For a long moment, the two young men looked at each other.

Again, Ranma blurred to the eyes of the spectators.

Bokken still held tightly in his hands, Kuno felt a slight jerking motion. Before him, Ranma held the latter portion of his wooden practice sword. He had snapped it off neatly in twain with a sharp movement of his hands. Looking down in disbelief, he noted that there was only inches left from where the 'blade' started from the grip.

A quick movement of feet and the kendoist was back at the tree he had been hiding behind a moment before. Jerkily, he dropped the end he was holding to the ground and pulled forth another bokken. Turning about to face Ranma again, he was about to say a scathing remark, but found the younger man in his face again.

"Chasin' after Akane ends here," Ranma said through clenched teeth, only loud enough for Tatewaki to hear him. Yanking the bokken out of Kuno's hands, he stepped back. Disarmed, Kuno attempted to grab at another bokken hidden away nearby. Ranma stepped in his way, waving the bokken. "The name's Ranma Saotome. I'm now her fiancée and instructor in the school of Saotome Anything Goes Martial Arts. Challenges to her go through me first."

With several sharp gestures, Ranma turned the wooden sword into kindling.

A drop of rain fell on the grass at Ranma's feet. Looking up, he scowled at the gathered clouds. Leaping towards the school, he disappeared inside before the deluge could change him. Akane followed, but wasn't fast enough to miss getting a bit wet. She idly noted that, perhaps for the first time, Ranma had not struck or knocked Kuno out, as far as her memory served her. Kuno stared after Ranma, his clothes soaked through in only a few heartbeats. The cool rain was enough to revive most of the youths on the ground, pulling themselves off of the ground and assisting their comrades inside to attend the nurse's office.

Genma had watched the entire display with interest. Ranma had shown a mean streak, unlike anything he had seen before from the boy before. The reason for Ranma's actions was beyond him. The way he had handled the crowd had made him smile to himself. He had chosen a path that led to the more formidable opponents first, dispatching any that had been unfortunate enough to be in his way. Crouching low, where the others could not readily see him had caused enough confusion in its own right. Only the flying bodies, screams of pain, and falling of companions had alerted anyone that they had someone in their midst, making him smile even wider in appreciation.

What Ranma had done to the young man spouting off in the hakama had been amusing. The practitioners of the Saotome Ryu disdained weapons, for it was a hindrance. One would be too caught up in the limitations of the weapon, a fact shown by Kuno being unable to react to having his own dismantled in both his hands and in front of him.

For the moment, there were no worries. He would have to probe Ranma for what had happened that morning. Unlike other fathers, Genma tended to probe in a more direct way.

As a panda, he turned about and returned to the dojo. The frightened looks of the locals were ignored. A warm kettle of water followed by sake and a good game sounded good about now.

Ranma stopped inside of the school's front doors to watch Akane running inside after him. She was muttering imprecations under her breath about the weather. When she had made it in, he didn't give her a chance to say anything to him and headed up to class. Akane followed.

There was no crowd to get through, since the only ones in front of the school had been the horde of boys and Kuno. The other students had gone to class and watched the fight from the grandstands. Or, rather, their classrooms.

They made it into the room with plenty of time to spare prior to the bell's signal to start classes. Before, they had missed class because Akane had chased Ranma down in order to change him back from girl to guy. When they entered, they were accosted by their fellow students.

Sayuri and Yuka, two of Akane's closest friends were two of the first to get into her face. "So, who's the beefcake," Yuka asked unashamedly, eyeing Ranma up and down.

Her voice wasn't lowered at all and Ranma heard the question. His cheeks tinged slightly pink at her brazenness. Akane did the same. Though they had shared much the night before, they still hadn't quite come to terms with how others would see or react to them.

"He's, um, Ranma Saotome," she introduced. "He arrived at the dojo with his father yesterday."

Sayuri, 'oohed', looking at Akane sharply. "So, what's the scoop, Akane? Everyone saw what he did." Her eyes lit up in wonder. "He took them out way faster than you ever have."

Before any more questions could be asked, the homeroom teacher entered. Their class representative called them to their seats. The teacher, seeing Ranma, called him forward. He looked at a slip of paper on top of a stack of other papers, denoting that he had a new student in his class.

The bell rang.

Turning his attention to the class, he said in a droning voice, "Please welcome Ranma Saotome." Ranma bowed to the class. The students greeted him accordingly. Pulling the sheets of paper off of a stack of books, the teacher handed them to Ranma. He pointed out an empty seat. "Go ahead and sit down."

Ranma did as he was told.

Unlike the first day he had attended Furinkan, Ranma and Akane weren't forced to stand outside carrying buckets. The fact that he had admitted his engagement to Kuno was cause for concern.

As the day wore on towards lunch, however, his concerns were for naught.

Even though the two had skipped the day's classes, they had ended up studying the material. Vaguely, both Akane and Ranma remembered their lessons. Thus, they were bored even more so than they would have been by the beleaguered droning of the teacher's voice.

It was the first change of teachers that the students accosted Akane again. Ranma was too new for them and a bit intimidating for them to harass. But Akane was another matter. Again, it was Sayuri and Yuka at the forefront, since they had seats closest to Akane.


End file.
